The present invention relates generally to a method of gathering random intelligence in a number game, and more particularly to the conventional game called "BINGO".
The game BINGO generally involves a rather restrictive requirement that all game participants commonly assemble at a selected location to permit the game to proceed until such time as one or a plurality of participants are declared "winner or winners". Each of the participants is provided with one or a plurality of game cards differing from one another at least partially in that each game card is provided with a row of letters B, I, N, G and O, and five columns of numerical subject-matter associated with the aforementioned letters respectively, the difference relating to the specific numerical subject-matter as appearing on the cards and the location of the numerical subject-matter relative to the row of letters.
The game is generally controlled by a person who may be characterized as a "caller" who selects, at random, successive game pieces from a master drum, upon which pieces is indicated a combination of alphabetical and numerical subject-matter, the alphabetical subject-matter comprising one of the letters B, I, N, G or O, whereas the numerical subject-matter includes one or two digits generally. The caller than announces the alphabetical-numerical intelligence as displayed on these pieces so that the various game participants may indicate upon their respective cards which of the alphabetical-numerical intelligence appearing on their cards corresponds to the announced intelligence by the caller. The game ends when one or a plurality of the participants, pursuant to prescribed rules, has either filled his entire card with appropriate intelligence markers such as discs or the like, or has filled his card in a particular orientation such that the card displays markers having a vertical line, horizontal line, diagonal line, or other configuration.
Usually, the first participant to publically and loudly declare BINGO will, in fact, be declared the game "winner". Clearly, this involves not merely a loudly declared public announcement of the word "BINGO", but inherently requires both a recognition on the part of each of the participants that the game card is, in fact, filled in a particular orientation or entirely and an immediate response with a public declaration of the statement BINGO in order to win the game. Often, a number of participants commonly have winning cards filled either entirely or in a prescribed orientation, yet depending upon their reflexes or the extent of concentration devoted to the game, each will loudly and publically declare the statement BINGO, some earlier than others. This obviously requires a recognition on the part of the caller as to who is, in fact, the winner and clearly presents problems for both the participants and the caller alike in those instances wherein the game rules do not permit a plurality of winners to be declared within a particular or prescribed time-limit after a calling of a particular piece as selected from the master drum.
Another serious problem as associated with the conventional manner of playing the game BINGO is the fact that since the game is played within the confines of a particular location or game hall, notwithstanding the size of the hall, the number of participants is limited to a prescribed maximum amount and the game must be played within a prescribed maximum time. Therefore, the various religious, charitable or other organizations which run the game of BINGO for the public at large, cannot do so in the most practical and efficient manner in terms of comfort and convenience as associated with the various participants, and in terms of the extent of profit that the particular organization can realize from running each of the particular games.